William t



(No Model.)

T. COVERT. TIRE ESCAPE LADDEIL No. 281,342.

Patented July 17, 1883 ladder.

' UNITED STATES PATENT @Frrcii.

WILLIA T.' COVERT, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 281,342, dated July 17, 1883.

Application filed August 14, 1882. No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. COVERT, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eire-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of myinvention is to produce a firetruck which shall embody botha ladder and a water-pipe which shall replace so much of the hose as is usually used to carry the-,water from the bottom to the top of the Further objects are to provide suitable means whereby the ladder and the water-. pipe may be extended, and whereby the various portions. of the mechanism may be efficiently operated. These several objects. .are accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter more specificallydescribed and f claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a truck embodying my said invention, when the same is folded up, as when housed or out of service; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, certain portions being broken away to show certain other portions more clearly; and Fig. 3, a side elevation when the ladder is raised and partly extended, as when in service, certain portions being broken away in this view also.

In said drawings, the portions marked A "represent the rigid frame-work of my improved truck; B, the pivoted and sliding frame-work, on which the ladder is mounted; O, a rackbar by which the frame B is moved back and forth; D, a rack-bar by which said frame is raised and lowered; E E, the ladder; F, the rack-wheel by which it is swung to position; G G, the water-pipe; H, a Windlass, and I ropes by which the extensions to the ladder and water-pipe are operated.

The frame-work A is mounted upon the usual axles, A, and wheels A and is simply a rectangular frame-work of sufficient size'and strength to sustain the ladder and its load.

The framework B rests upon the framework A, and slides back and forth along the same in slides a. It is provided with bearings for the shaft f of the rack-wheel F and By this means the relative longitudinal position of the ladder on the frame can be varied. When it is out of service or running to a fire,

. a substantially equally-balanced position of the .ladder on the frame is desirable, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; butbefore it can be raised it has to be drawn forward until the foot of the ladder will pass down inside the cross-bar of the frame as said ladder revolves on its shaft When raised, the angle of inclination of the ladder can also be raised by means of this rack and pinion.

The circular rack-bar D is used for raising the free end of the frame B to the position shown in Fig. 3. Its end is armed with an anti-friction truck, d, and it runs between sets of rollers a in the frame A. It is operated by the pinion D and a crank, d, on its shaft. By this means the shaft f, on whichthe ladder is mounted, and by which it is turned, is enabled to be located nearer the center of said ladder than it otherwise could, and thus less poweris required to raise said ladder to position than would otherwise be required.

The ladder is composed of sections E E, the latter of which is adapted to be extended from the former, as shown. Two sections are shown, and this will usually be found sufficient; but three or more may be. used, if desired. One section preferably slides in grooves inside the frame of the other, as shown, and the result is that the elevating and retracting of the upper section or sections resembles similar movements in a telescope, thus giving this the name of telescopic ladder. Slides for the upper section may be attached to the edges of the i snaie is the means whereby said ladder is raised from a recumbent to an upright position. It is operated by the pinion F. This pinion may be operated by a crank attached directly to its shaft, as in case of the other pinions; but in order that the ladder may be raised by persons standing upon the ground I prefer to mount a chain-wheel on said shaft, another on a studsh aft attached to the frame A, and connect them by a chain belt, F which shall be operative when the frame B is raised, as shown in Fig. 8, in which case the crank f is mounted on said stud-shaft.

The pipe is composed of sections G G, and is also constructed on the telescopic principle. The lower section, G, is attached to the section E of the ladder, and the section G is attached to the corresponding ladder-section, E. The bottom end of the section G is adapted to be connected to a hose leading from the engine or fire-plug, and the upper end of the section G is adapted to have ashort section of hose with a nozzle thereon attached thereto. This obviates the necessity of carrying the hose up the ladder, which is always very laborious Work, and is often attended with great diffieultyand danger.

The Windlass H is a common Windlass attached to the lower end of the ladder-section E, on which the ropes I are wound, and is provided with a crank, 71, as is usual.

The ropes I are secured to the lower end of the ladder-section E, pass up over pulleys e on the upper end of the ladder-section E, and down to the windlass H, to which they are secured. As the section E moves or slides in the section E, a winding up of this rope on said windlass will raise the section E, and an unwinding of said rope will permit said section to fall back to its normal position.

The operation of my said invention may be reeapitulated as follows: Vhen the truck reaches the scene of the fire, the rack and pinion 0 O is operated, and the ladder brought into proper position for raising. The rackwheel and pinion F F is then operated either directly or through the chain belt F and the ladder is thus raised. The upper section, E, of the ladder is then raised to the proper height by means of the ropes I and Windlass H. The hose is meanwhile properly connected to the pipe-sections G G, and the apparatus is ready for use.

As will be readily understood, all the parts of my improved truck are strong and durable in construction, comparatively not expensive, and easily operated.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, in a fire-tru ck, with the ladder, of the frame A, sliding and pivoted frame B, rack and pinion G G, and the rack and pinion D D, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a fire-ladder truck, with the ladder, of the pivoted frame B, whereon said ladder is mounted, and the curved rack-bar D and its pinion, whereby said frame is elevated, substantially as set forth.

3. The eombination,with a truck-frame and ladder, of the rackF, the shaft f, forming a pivotal connection of the ladder, the sliding frame B, the pinion F, and means for elevating said frame, substantially as set forth. 4. In combination with a truck-frame, the ladder-sections E and E, having secured thereto, respectively, the pipes G and G, the pivoted rack F, carried by section E, the pivoted frame B, having pinion. F, rack O, and pinion C, the parts being constructed substantially as set forth.

5. In a firetruck having afraine, A, theladder E, mounted thereon and carrying rack F, in combination with pivoted sliding frame B, carrying pinion F, rack O, pinion C, the curved rack D, and pinion D, the parts being constructed substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 11th day of July, A. D. 1882.

\VILLIAM T. COVERT. [I.. s]

In presence of- C. BRADFORD, E. V. BRADFORD. 

